Live music and well-being: the crowd effect ^{CEFR B2}

A series of four studies examined why attending live music events benefits well-being. The researchers used both university and community samples and surveyed people who had recently been to music festivals and concerts. Sample sizes in the four studies ranged roughly from about 130 to 180 participants, with one study using 290 participants.

The paper identifies collective effervescence (CE) as a key social mechanism. CE describes a combined sense of connection to others and a sensation of sacredness that people feel when they share an intense group experience, such as a live musical performance. The first two studies established a close link between CE and the positive outcomes people report after live events; the final two studies replicated those findings and suggested the benefits can linger for days.

The authors note that CE can occur in other shared activities, so opportunities to increase well-being extend beyond music. Nicole Koefler, the paper's corresponding author, said the feeling builds on humans' need to connect and invited people to seek chances to celebrate and connect. The results appear in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. Source: University at Buffalo.